Switchboard signal system



Patented July 14, 1931 clerics GEORGE VI. JAN-SON, GEE NUTLLY; NEH JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY, OF YQRK,

SWITCHBQARB Application filed July 11,

This invention relates to signal means for telegraph switchboards and more particularly to means for giving a visible and/or audible signal at a switchboard section whenever faulty conditions occur in any line terminating at the switchboard and whenever an operator in a loop circuit desiresto call the attendant at the switchboard.

Heretofore, in accordance with the usual practice, each main line circuit teri'ninating at a telegraph switchboard receives its battery through a limiting resistance lamp arranged so as to be visible at the'top of the switchboard, the lamp serving as an indicator whenever grounds or similar faults on the line cause an excessive flow of current in the line circuit. There are certain inherent disadvantages to this arrangement and in a copending application, Serial No. 488,650, filed Sept. 22, 1930, entitled Switchboard, there is shown an improved arrangement in which the current limiting lamps or equivalent resistances are entirely enclosed in a separate compartment of the switchboard. The present invention in one ofits aspects. is particularly applicable to switchboards employing the potential distributing arrangement of said copendin application, one of the ob. jects of the present invention being to provide faulty line signal operating independently of the current limiting element of the circuit.

Another object is to provide a faultyline signal which may be both audible and visible and in which separate signals are operated to indicate the section of the switchboard at which the faulty line terminates and the individual switchboard circuit associated with the faulty line.

call signal system for a switchboard circuit in which a visible and/or audible signal is provided. 7

. A still further object is to provide a faulty line and call signal system employing the same signal elements, in which the signal elements operate in a distinctive manner to indicate whether a faulty line condition or call signal is beingregistered and in which theoperation of the signals can. be discon- Another object is to provide an improved 1v. Y., A CORPORATION or NEW YORK srs-nAL SYSTEM 1sec. Serial no. senses.

an individual signal lamp is associated with each telegraph circuit terminating at a switchboard section and suitable circuit connections and control apparatus are provided whereby the lamp is caused to glow whenever a faulty condition of the line exists or in response to a call signal originating at one of the operators positions. In the case of a call signal the glow is steady and in the event a faulty line condition a periodic flash ing of the lamp is produced.

Each'section of the switchboard is also provided with a large signal lamp and a buzzer or other audible signal which gives an additional signal of greater intensity to in dicate the particular section at which the call or faulty line condition has been regis tered.

The signal circuits, after they have once been completed, can only be interrupted by the switchboard attendant going in on the line with his test set.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood reference will be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of the front of a switchboard panel showing the arrange ment of the jacks and signal lamps on the panel;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing a typical circuit arrangement for a main line circuit; and

Figure 3 is a circuit diagram including a number of switchboard circuits having the signal control system of the present invention' applied thereto.

Each telegraph line entering the telegraph oflice terminates at the switchboard, at the tipcontact 10 of a line jack 11 and has associated with it a plurality of other jacks arranged in a vertical row, a number of which rows are shown at 12 in Figure 1. The jacks associated with each line may comprise a battery jaclr13, a loop ack 14:, line patch jack 15, a signal l6 and wire chiefs jack 1?. One of such switchboard circuits is shown in Figure 2, the circuit being traced from the tip and tip normal contacts of the line jack 11 through the tip normal and tip contacts of the patching jack 15 to the tip contact of the wire chiefs jack 17. The circuit then continues from the tip normal contact of wire chiefs jack through the winding 18 of a differential control relay ll) and then by conductor 20 to the tip normal and tip contacts of the loop jack 14, the circuit continuing through the loop 21 to the sleeve and sleeve normal contacts of the loop 14 and thence by conductor 22 through the opposite winding 23 of the dilfercntial control relay 19 and thewinding 24 of a faulty line relay.

' hecircuit then continues by the conductor 25 to the tip normal and tip contacts of the battery jack 13 and thence to a source of potential; The contacts of differential relay '19 are arranged to apply a steady current to the lamp 26 and those of the faulty line re lay 24, to apply an intermi tent current.

In Figure 3 I have shown circuits three line circuits A, B and C, terminating at the switchboard, the line patching and bar.- tery jacks having been omitted for simplicity of illustration. The lines L1, L2 and L3 which terminate at the line jacks 11 are coninued directly through the contact of the wire chiefs jacks 17 to the winding 18 of differential relays 19 and thence to the loop jacks 14 through the loops 21 and thence to the differential windings 23 of the relays 19, the circuit continuing through windings 24 of the faulty line relays and thence directly to a potential distributing block 2'? and to the desired source of potential. A locking relay 28 is also provided for each switchboard circuit.

The front contact 29 of relay 24 is connected by a condurtor 30, in multiple with the rront contacts of the corresponding relays of e. ch of the other switchboard circuits, to one terminal of a current interrupter or intermittent make and break device 31, the opposite terminal of which is connected to a grounded sourte Of potential.

32. The front. conta t of differential relay 19 is connected to one terminal of the loclring relay 28, the opposiie terminal of which is connected in multiple with the relay 28 of each of the other switchboard circuits, to the source of potential 32. The back contact of relay 28 is connected to the contact tongue of relay 24, and the front contact is also connected to the inding of the relay 28. he tongue of relays 19 and 28 are joined by a conductor 33 to one side of the lamp 26, the opgosi e side of the lamp being connected through the spring contacts and 35 of the wire chiefs jack 17 to one end of the winding of a section relay 36, the opposite end of which is grounded at 37.

Relay 36 controls the operation of an audible signal 38, such as a buzzer, and a visible signal 39, such as a lamp of greater intensity than the individual switchboard circuit lamps 26. The signals 38 and 39 are common to a large number of switchboard circuits. Usually the switchboard is divided into a number of sections, each having forty or more switchboard circuits terminating therea-t, and I prefer to provide one audible signal 38 and one visible signal 39 for each switchboard section.

The buzzer 38 has one terminal connected to the source of current 32 by a conductor 40, the other terminal being connected to one end of a winding of a relay 41 and thence to the front contact of relay 36. The function of the relay 41 is to cause a large proportion of the winding of the section relay 36 to be short circuited after the relay is operated, and for this purpose a portion 42 of the winding is shunted through the tongue and front contact of the relay 41. The tongue of relay 36 is connected to the ground 37.

The lamp 39 has one terminal connected to he circuit interrupter 31, the opposite terminal of the lamp being connected to the winding of relay 41.

In the normal operation of the circuit, battery supplied from the potential distributing block 27 passes through the faulty line relay 24, winding 23 of the differential relay 19, loop 21 and winding 18 of relay 19, and thence to the line L1, L2 or L3. The normal current flow through the relay 24 is insuf ficient to operate the same, and the current through each of the windings of the differential relay 19 is equal and of opposite direction, so that the armatures of both of these relays remain open. The circuit to the signal lamps 26 thus remain open at the relay contacts. Vi hen an operator in the loop circuit 21 desires to call an attendant or wire chief at the switchboard, she grounds the loop circuit through a resistance R by means of manual key 43, thus causing the current in the winding 18 of the differential relay to fall off, disturbing the balance of the relay and causing the same to pull up. The resistance R- is of such value as to maintain the intensity of the current in the winding of the relay 24 substantially constant, however, so that this relay is not affected by the call signal.

Relay 19 upon operating, completes a circuit from the source of current 32 through the winding of the locking relay 28, contacts of relay 19, and the conductor 33, to the lamp 26, thence through spring contacts 34 ant 35 of the wire chiefs jack 17 to the grounded winding of the section relay 38. iiamp 26 is thus caused to glow. Relay 28 pulls up at this time and completes a holdingcircuit for the lamp through the front Contact thereof. At the same time section relay 36 operates to apply'the ground 37 through the front contact thereof and winding or relay tlto the buzzer and signal lamp 39, thus causing the buzzer to operate continuously and the signallamp 39.130 operate intermittently throughthe action. of current interrupter 31'. Upon the completion of these circuits, the relay ll operates to by pass the portionAQ of the windings of the relay '36, the remaining turns being surtficient to maintain the relay contacts closed.

The signal lamp 26, buzzer 38, and section signal lamp 39continue to operate until the switchboard attendant accepts the call by Gaming in on the line andinsertin aplug in the ack 1 7. T his operation interrupts the locking circuit of relay 28 "and-restores the system to norn'ial. 4

It a faulty Triecondition, such as a ground, occurs on one of the main lines L1, L2 or L3, this causes an increase in the 'current flow through the windings of the differential relay 19 and faulty line relay 24. Since this. current is balanced in the windings of the differthrough the actionof circuit Since the relay 36 15 directly in the lamp c1re'n't-ial relay, it does not respond, but relay 24, responding to the increased current, picks up and Completes a circuit from the source of iotentia"l 32 through the circuit interrupting device '31, front-contact 29 of'relay 24, back contact of relay 28 and conductor 33 to the lamp 26, and thence through the contacts of the-jack 17 to the grounded relay 36. Lannp 26 is thus caused to glow intermittently interrupter 31.

c'u'itl,-i ts contact tonguefoscillates back and "forth to apply intermittent ground to the circuit for the buzzer 38 and section 'signallamp 39, thus causing these signals to operate intermittently. All of the signal devices contlnue to operate in this manneruntil their c'ircuits,

are interrupted by the wire chief coming I onthe line at the jack l7 with his testjsetij f suitable periodically operating switch, such as the usual thermostatic interrupter.

and intermittently in response to a: faulty line condition. Section lamp 39 is caused to glow intermittently for both call signals and faulty line conditions, so as to more readily attract the attention of the wire chief should he be at a distant section of the switchboard, but it is to beunderstood that the lamp 39 may be caused to glow steadily in response to a call signal by applying the battery 32 directly thereto instead of through the circuit inter- 'rupte r p p 7 Obviously, other variatlons and changes intlie circuit arrangements will occur to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit or essential attributes of the invenion, and therefore, I do not desire to belimited to he circuit interrupter 31'ma-ybe of any 7 1; A signal system for atelegraph sWitchboardat which a plurality of line circuits terminute, comprising a signal: lamp associated with each linecircuit, a loop. circuit included in each line circuit, means for. causing said lamp to glow in response to a signal originating at said loop circuit, and means for causing said l'amp to glow in a different manner in response to a faulty. condition of said line circuit. E

2. A signal system'for at'elegraph switchboard at which a plurality of line circuits terminate, comprising a signal lamp associated with-each line circuit, a. loopcircuit included in eachlin'e' circuit, means for causing said lamp to glow steadily in response to a signal originatingat said loop-circuit, and means for causing said lamp to flash intermittently in response to a faulty condition of saidline circuit. :1 Y 7 s 8. A signal system for a telegraph switchboard at which a plurality of linelcircuits terminate, comprising a wire chiefs jack and a signal lamp associated with'eacli' line circuit, a loop circuit included in each line circuit, means responsiye to asignaloriginating at said loop 'circuitfor causing said lamp to glow, means for maintaining said lamp in operation after said signal has ceased, and means for discontinuing the operationof'said lamp upon insertion of a plug in the wire chiefs jack. 3

l. A signa'l system fora telegraph switchboard at which a plurality of main line circuits terminate, comprising asignal lamp associated with each line circuit, aloop cir cuit included in each line circuit, a differential re lay havinga' winding in saidli'n'e circui'tfat each side ofsai-d'loop circuit, said relay being res p'onsiye tofpredeterm'in'ed electrical condi} tions' of said loop c'ircuit'to cause said lamp to operate, and' me'ans arranged at the switchboard for discontinuing the-operation of said a p 7 V, V

A signal syst'e n for a 't Y board at which a pluralityof m in line circ'uits terminate, comprising a signal lamp associated with each line circuit, a'lo'opcircuit included in each line circuit, a difierentialre layhaving a winding i'n said line circuit at boa-rdjat which .aE-plurality otyin ain line,

circuits terminate, comprising a signal device associated with each line circuit, a loop circuit included in each line circuit, a differential relay havinga winding in said main linecircuit at each side of said loop circuit, a circuit for said signal device, a wire chiefs jack having contacts in said signal circuit, said relay being responsive'to a grounded condition ofrsaid loop. circuit .to complete cal condition of said loop'circuit to cause said lamp and audible signal to operate continuously, and said visible signal to operate intermittently.

8. A' signal system for a telegraph switchboard at-which a plurality of main line circuitsterminate, comprising a signal lamp individual to each line circuit, an audible and visible signal common to each line circuit, a loop circuit included in each line circuit, means responsive to a predetermined electrical condition of said loop circuit to cause one or more of saidsignals to operate continuously, and another of said signals to operate intermittently, and means responsive to a predetermined condition of said main line circuit to cause all of said signals to operate intermittently.

9. A signal system for a telegraph switchboard at which a plurality of main line circuits terminate, comprising a signal lamp associated with each line circuit, a signal device common to each line circuit, means responsive to predetermined conditions of said circuit for causing said lamp and signal device to operate, means normally retaining said lamp and signal device in operation after said predeterminedqline condition has ceased, and means at the switchboard for.

discontinuing the operation of said lamp and signal device'.;. j

10. A signal system for a telegraph switchboardat which a pluralityv of main line circuits, terminate, comprising a signal lamp associated with each linecircuit, asignal de vice common to each line circuit, a loop circuit included in each line circuit, a difi'erential relay having windings in said main line circuit at each side of saidloop circuit, a second relay in said main line circuit, a circuit for said signal device, said differential relay 7 being responsive to a predetermined condi- 7 tion of said loop c1rcu1t to complete said signal circuit, a 'circuit'interrupter, said second relay being responsive to a predetermined condition of said main line to complete said lamp circuit independent of said difi'erential relay through said circuit interrupter, and a relay for said signal device having a winding in said lamp circuit whereby'said signal device is operated simultaneously with said lamp.

11. A signal system for a telegraph switchboard at which a plurality of lines terminate, comprising a lamp individual to each line, a signal device common to each line, a relay for each lamp and a relay for said signal device, said first relays being responsive to predetermined line conditions to initiate the operation of the lamp. associated with the line at which such condition occurs, and said second relay being responsive'to the operation of said first relay to initiate the operation of said signal device and a locking means for the first relay actuated by operation of said relay to maintain said lamp and si 'nal device aerated inde endentl of said a 1 line condition.

12. A signal system for a telegraph switchboard at which a plurality of line circuits terminate, comprising a signal limp associated with each line circuit, a loop circuit included in each line circuit, means responsive to a signal originating at said loop circuit for causing said lamp to glow, means for maintaining said lamp in operation after said signal has ceased, and means at the switchboard for discontinuing the operation of said lamp. v

13. A signal system for a telegraph switchboard at which a plurality of main line circuits terminate, comprising a signal lamp individual to each line circuit, a signal device common to each line circuit, a loop circuit included in each line circuit, and means responsive to a predetermined electrical condition of said loop circuit to cause said lamp to operate in a characteristic manner and for causing saidcommon signal device to operate in a different distinctive manner.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GEORGE JANSON.

DISCLAIMER 1,814,931. George W. Jonson, Nutley, N. J. SWITCHBOARD SIGNAL SYSTEM. Patent dated July 14, 1931. Disclaimer filed June 2 1, 1933, by the assignee, The Western Union Telegraph Company.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to the claims in said specification which are in the following words, to wit:

3. A signal system for a telegraph switchboard at which a plurality of line circuits terminate, comprising a wire chiefs jack and a signal lamp associated with each line circuit, a loop circuit included in each line circuit, means responsive to a signal originating at said loop circuit for causing said lamp to glow, means for maintaining said lamp in operation after said signal has ceased, and means for discontinuing the operation of said lamp upon insertion of a plug in the wire chiefs jack.

4. A signal system for a telegraph switchboard at which a plurality of mainline circuits terminate, comprising a signal lamp associated with each line circuit, a loop circuit included in each line circuit, a differential relay having a winding in said line circuit at each side of said loop circuit, said relay being responsive to predetermined electrical conditions of said loop circuit to cause said lamp to operate, and means arranged at the switchboard for discontinuing the operation of said lamp.

6. A signal system for a telegraph switchboard at which a plurality of main line circuits terminate, comprising a signal device associated with each line circuit, a loop circuit included in each line circuit, a differential relay having a winding in said main line circuit at each side of said loop circuit, a circuit for said signal device, a Wire chiefs jack having contacts in said signal circuit, said relay being responsive to a grounded condition of said loop circuit to complete said signal circuit, and a locking relay for maintaining said signal circuit closed after cessation of operation of the differential relay, said signal circuit being interrupted by insertion of a plug in the wire chiefs jack.

9. A signal system for a telegraph switchboard at'which a plurality of main line circuits terminate, comprising a signal lamp associated with each line circuit, a signal device common to each line circuit, means responsive to predetermined conditions of said circuit for causing said lamp and signal device to operate,means normally retaining said lamp and signal device in operation after said predetermined line condition has ceased, and means at the switchboard for discontinuing the operation of said lamp and signal device.

11. A signal system for a telegraph switchboard at which a plurality of lines terminate, comprising a lamp individual to each line, a signal device common to each line, a relay for each lamp and a relay for said signal device, said first relays being responsive to predetermined line conditions to initiate the operation of the lamp associated with the line at which such condition occurs, and said second relay being responsive to the operation of said first relay to initiate the operation of said signal device and a locking means for the first relay actuated by operation of said relay to maintain said lamp and signal device operated independently of said line condition.

12. A signal system for a telegraph switchboard at which a plurality of line circuits terminate, comprising a signal lamp associated with each line circuit, a loop circuit included in each line circuit, means responsive to'a signal originating at said loop circuit for causing said lamp to glow, means for maintaining said lamp in operation after said signal has ceased, and means at the switchboard for discontinuing the operation of said lamp.

13. A signal system for a telegraph switchboard at which a plurality of main' line circuits terminate, comprising a signal lampindividual to each line circuit, a signal device common to each line circuit, a loop circuit included in each line circuit, and means responsive to a predetermined electrical condition of said loop circuit to cause said lamp to operate in a characteristic manner and for ca ing said common signal device to operate in a different distinctive manner.

[Ofiicial Gazette July 25, 1938.] 

